GO GREEN
Benefits of
Biomass
What is Biomass Energy?
Biomass energy is harvested
from organic material made from
plants and animals that contains
stored energy from the sun. Such
materials include wood, crops,
manure, and other organic waste.
In the United States,
more energy is produced
from biomass than
by solar, wind, and
geothermal sources
combined.
How is it Green?
Biomass is a renewable source of energy
that has a much lighter environmental
impact than traditional fossil fuels. As
a part of the carbon cycle, harvesting
energy from biomass produces only 10%
of the carbon dioxide emissions than does
burning fossil fuels. Putting biomass to
use as a source of energy
also reduces the amount of
organic waste that ends up
in landfills.
Soybean crop
How Does it Work?
Through the process of photosynthesis,
plants capture the sun’s energy by
converting carbon dioxide from the air
and water from the ground into complex
carbohydrates, which are composed of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Animals
feed on plants, taking up this energy
and passing it on in their waste. When
these carbohydrates are burned, they
turn back into carbon dioxide and water,
and release the sun’s energy as heat,
which can be used to produce steam
or provide heat for a building. Biomass
can also be converted into other usable
forms of energy such as methane gas
(released from rotting garbage and
animal waste) or transportation fuels
such as ethanol and biodiesel (from
corn, sugar, vegetable oil, and animal
fat).
Why Would I Want to Use Biomass Energy?
To heat your home:
Burning wood, a type of biomass, is one of the most eco-friendly ways to heat your home. Wood is
a renewable resource that absorbs as much carbon while growing as it does when burned. While
traditional fireplaces are not very effective, heating with a wood or pellet stove can be and they are
better for the environment than using fossil fuel furnaces or electric heat. Stoves that burn wood pellets,
made of sawdust and other wood byproducts, or corn burn cleaner and more efficiently than wood
stoves, though they require some electricity.
To fuel your vehicle:
Biodiesel, which also incorporates biomass, is a renewable fuel for diesel engines made from natural
oils such as that of soybeans, which are grown in the United States. Biodiesel has fewer emissions than
petroleum diesel, which keeps the air cleaner and reduces global warming. Switch to biodiesel to fuel
your own diesel engines in trucks, cars, and tractors.
Where Do I Get a Biomass Stove & How Much Does it Cost?
To ensure you burn the right wood, the right way, in the right vessel to protect your home, health, and
the air we breathe, visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s Burn Wise program web site at www.
epa.gov/burnwise/, which includes a list of EPA-certified stoves that produce 90% less emissions than
older models.
The cost of a cleaner burning stove varies depending on the size, style, and features of the stove you
choose. Prices range from around $750 to $3500. The cost of installation ranges from $600 to $1200.
It will save you money in the long run as you will use up to one-third less firewood than you would using
an older, less efficient stove. You can also take advantage of a tax credit of 30% of the cost of an EPAcertified stove (including installation/labor costs) up to $1,500, if purchased by December 31, 2010.
Where Do I Buy Biodiesel & How Much Does it Cost?
Find out where to buy biodiesel fuel it at www.biodiesel.org.
Biodiesel blended at a 20 percent level with petroleum diesel costs approximately 20 cents per gallon
more than diesel alone. As gas and oil prices rise, however, the price gap will shrink.
For More Information
National Biodiesel Board
www.biodiesel.org Burn Wise Program, Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/burnwise/
Green Energy Ohio www.greenenergyohio.org
Energy Kids, U.S. Energy Information Administration
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE),
www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass
Learn more about how to Go Green at www.cincinnatizoo.org.
Click on Saving the Earth, and then on Go Green.
3-2010